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The Submarines Bring Their Romantic Music to DeLuna Fest
By Hana Frenette

Beautiful and smiling, The Submarines are the epitome of young lovers. Blake Hazard and John Dragonetti were introduced by a friend, and hit it off so well, they decided to tour Europe together. Four years later, their poppy, melodic, love-driven music is beginning to make a name for itself among the sea of guy/girl indie pop duos currently flooding the music industry.

“We have played some bigger festivals before, and we love getting to play them,” John Dragonetti said. “It’s just a completely different energy from a smaller show—people are up for a good time and are more out of their element at a festival.”

The Submarines’ first album, “Declare a New State!” was released in 2006 and has lent many songs to popular television soundtracks, such as “Nip/Tuck,” “Weeds,” “Gossip Girl,” and “Grey’s Anatomy.” Apple also featured their song, “You, Me, and the Bourgeoisie,” on a commercial for the iPhone 3GS.

Although their musical content is greatly centered upon love, the actual sound of The Submarines varies from track to track. Their music is reminiscent of The Postal Service and The Weepies. Hazard describes their music as “indie folk electro pop.”

Pensacola doesn’t really see a lot of indie electro pop acts come through, so their performance at DeLuna Fest should be an exciting one, and if things go well—the first of many.

“We both visited Pensacola as kids, but we’ve never played there before,” Dragonetti said. “The fact that Pensacola has a beautiful beach, a good art museum and a bicycle polo league all bode very well.”

When they’re not touring, The Submarines have a few other projects to focus on. In March, they held a songwriting workshop for high school kids in Los Angeles, and eventually turned all of their songs into an album that was then used as an online fundraiser. The album, “Chickens in Love,” uses the original songs of the students recorded by artists such as She and Him, Cold War Kids, and Fiona Apple.

Hazard and Dragonetti are both from Los Angeles, and wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to help the children there.

One of the best things about being in a band, for Dragonetti, is “the feeling of being part of a musical whole that’s greater than the sum of its parts.” Although it sounds like the latter part of an Algebra 2 equation, it seems to fit The Submarines.

“…And the travel…and the whiskey,” Dragonetti added. Now it makes sense.

Their set at DeLuna Fest will include several songs off their previous albums, as well as their latest album, “LoveNotes/LetterBombs,” which will be released in early 2011.

“We can’t wait to release it,” Dragonetti said. “We’re really excited about how it came together.”

Their honest, romantic lyrics and danceable, catchy music should make for a performance that shouldn’t be missed.

“We’re really looking forward to the excursion and checking out other bands at the festival,” Dragonetti said.